Torpedo Cruiser
Torpedo cruisers (CLT) are a unique and terrifying subclass of cruiser. With their extensive torpedo armament, high mobility and the highest potential alpha damage of any ship class in the game, torpedo cruisers can punch far above their weight class if played properly. Real World Information The torpedo cruiser is a subclass of cruisers designed to use torpedoes as the primary weapon, instead guns. The first torpedo cruisers started appearing in the mid 1800s, when the development of the Whitehead torpedo finally provided a way for smaller ships to effectively damage and sink large capital ships. These early torpedo cruisers were effectively protected cruisers that traded artillery for the ability to mount torpedo tubes. By the 1900s most navies had given up on the torpedo cruiser doctrine, as engagement ranges grew larger and ships more capable of dodging the relatively slower torpedoes. The Imperial Russian Navy retained some of its torpedo cruisers, but these were later re-classified destroyers. The pinnacle of torpedo cruiser design, however, came with the reconstruction of the Japanese Kuma-class Light Cruisers Ooi ''and ''Kitakami. With a torpedo battery that far exceeded that of any existing ship (20 torpedo tubes per side) and long range oxygen torpedoes, the two torpedo cruisers were designed to lead torpedo squadrons in laying down large spreads of torpedoes from long range. However, this combat doctrine proved faulty and the two cruisers were never used in combat. In Game Torpedo cruisers come in two different variants in Naval Craft. Both have the highest potential alpha damage in the game, but it is rare for all of the torpedoes to hit, lowering the potential damage to a much more humble level. Variant #1: Guided underwater torpedo cruiser This variant utilises the underwater torpedo weapon as the primary armament. Underwater torpedoes have an inbuilt semi-homing capability, which allows for better accuracy and hit chance. They can also double as effective anti-submarine escorts, since underwater torpedoes have variable depth and can hit submarines. This variant is the more practical of the two types. However, since underwater torpedoes only fire one torpedo each and are extremely expensive (7200 per unit), they are mostly used by players that have played the game for a longer time. No ships of this type were produced in real life. Variant #2: Unguided surface torpedo cruiser This variant utilises large amounts of standard, above-water torpedo mounts. As surface mounts can hold and fire more torpedoes, torpedo cruisers using surface mounts often have a thicker and wider spread than guided torpedo cruisers, making them hard to dodge if in range. However, the loss of homing capability and inability to target submarines makes them less effective than guided torpedo cruisers. The average player will use double torpedo mountings (3600 per unit), while those who pay real money or jailbreak can opt to use oxygen torpedo mounts (4 or 5 emerald per unit, depending on which type). Oxygen torpedo turrets carry more torpedoes and have longer range. Most ships of this variant are designed by Kitakami and Ooi, with a large amount of torpedo turrets lining the sides of the ship. Category:Ship Type Category:Game Related